Automobile-lock



F. H. HOWARD.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.16.192o.

1,392,499.' Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

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FRED HIAYDElI' HOWARD, OF STIRLING, ONTARIO, CANADA'.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented oca/1, 1.921.

Application filed August 16, 1920. Serial No. 403,811.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, F RED HAYDEN How- ARD, of the village of Stirling, in the' county of Hastings, Province 0f Ontario, Canada, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for rendering the stealing of motor cars difficult by locking the gear-shift lever in a neutral position, and my object is to devise a lock of this type which will effectively hold the lever, which is adapted for use with a great .f'ariety of cars and which automatically assumes its inoperative position when released from the lever.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan view showing my im-v proved lock in position engaging a gear shift lever;

Fig. 2 a plan view of the lock showing it in its folded position;

Fig. 3 a front elevation of the same;

Fig. i a detail in plan `on an enlarged scale of the ends of the clamping arms; and

Fig. 5 a similar view of a modification of the same.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 is a gear shift lever of an ordinary type rockable on a ball and socket joint to shift the gears. 2 is a stationary part such as the front wall of the front seat box. On this wall are ysupported brackets 3 forminghinge members. These are preferably secured in position by means of smooth headed bolts with nuts behind the seat wall. On these brackets are hinged two clamp bars 4 and 5. These clamp bars have their outer ends 6-7 adapted to engage the gear shift lever in such a manner as to prevent the latter being moved in any direction. These ends may be shaped as shown in Fig. 5 each to engage the gear shift lever from the same side as that on which is located the arm of which said end forms a part. With such a construction, however, there is a possibility of a tool being used effectively to pry'the clamp arms away from the lever.. I therefore prefer to construct the clamp ends as shown in the remaining figure of the drawings, each end engaging the lever from the side remote from the arm on'whichY said end is formed. The best method of effecting this is to form a slot 8 in the clamp bar 5, the end16 of the clamp bar 4 sliding in the slot. Normally theclamp arms lie folded back against .the

wall 2. In order to `fold back the arms when released from the gear shift lever,`I provide the clamp bar 4 with a bent spring 9, which is secured thereto and engages behind the bracket 3 on which the clamp bar is hinged.

In order'to cause the simultaneous folding movement of the two clamp bars, two projections 10 are formed on the end 6 of the clamp bar 4, which engage the front of the clamp bar 5 at each side of the'slot 8 and thus apply pressure to the clamp bar tending to swing it back. Any suitable means may be provided for locking the ends 6 and 7 of the clamp bars in engagement with the lever. One method is shown in the drawings, the end 6 of the clamp bar 4 being.v provided with a small eye 11 adapted to pass through the larger eye 12 on the end 7. Through the eye 11 a pad lock may be passed as shown.

From the above description it will be seen that the device is very simple and yet very effective, as the clamp arms form diagonally arranged braces which will absolutely prevent movement of the gear shift lever in any direction. The device further is readily adapted to suit gear shift levers of different distances from the wall 2 by spreading the brackets 3 more or less as may be necessary.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention is z- 1. A lock for automobile gear shift levers comprising hinge members adapted for connection to a suitable stationary part -at widely separated points situated at the ends of the base of a triangle at the apex of which the gear shift lever lies; clamp arms connected with said hinge members having their outer ends adapted to clamp about the lever, said arms being swingable on said hinges to and from their lever engaging position and means for locking the clamp arms in their lever engaging position.

2. A lock for automobile gear shift levers constructed as set forth in claim 1 in which one arm is longitudinally slotted and the end of the other arm is adapted to slide in said slot when the arms are swung to and from their lever engaging position.

3. A lock for automobile gear shift levers Constructed as set forth in claim 1 provided ywith a spring tending to swing the arms from their lever engaging position.

4. A lock for automobile gear shift levers constructed as set forth in claim l in Which one arm is longitudinally slotted and the end of the other arm is adapted to slide in said slot when the arms are swung to and from their lever engaging position and provided with a spring, tending to swing the arms from their lever engaging position and means for locking the clamp arms in their lever engaging position.

5. A lock for automobile gear shift levers comprising hinge members adapted for conhaving their outer ends curved to embrace lthe arm on which said end is formed, said arms being swingable on said hinges toand from their lever engaging position.

6. A loelrfor automobilegear shift levers constructed as set forth in claim 5 in which one arm is longitudinally slotted and the end of the othei` arm is adapted'to slide in said slot when the arms are swung to and from their lever engaging position.

signed .a Whitby, ont., this sul day of August, 1920. Y K

FRED HAYDEN HOWARD. 

